Means for exhausting and condensing furnace-fumes.



A? E; KIDNEY. mums ron EXHAUBTING m1) oommnsme FURNACE IUMEB.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. H. KIDNEY.

MEANS FOR EXHAUSTING AND GONDENSING FURNACE PUMES.

APPLIOATIOH rum) IA]. 26. 1907.

903,099. Patented Nov. 3. 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 8 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED H. KIDNEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

Application filed January 26, 1907. Serial No. 354,217.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED H. KIDNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Exhausting and Condensin Furnace- Fumes; and I do declare the fofiowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this'specification.

This invention relates to improvements in means for exhausting furnace hearths or chambers, of volatile products or fumes generated therein, whereby the said products or fumes are drawn or forced into condensers or fiues connected therewith, and in which these products are condensed and precipitate T e means heretofore employed to perform this "function, involves direct exhaustion frctmor through the furnace, by means of a blower, necessitating the placing of the blower about two hundred feet from the furnace outlet to the suction inlet of the blower. From the pressure outlet of the blower is another length of flue leadingto the interior of the condenser, the blower being in an intermediate obstructive position. The blower is thus remotely placed from the hot inflowing fumes and gases, in order that their temperature may be greatly reduced iii their on passage, to obviate corrosion by metallic fumes and undue expansion of the working parts of the blower. The said means heretofore employed for the urpose specifled, has not proven practical y or commercially successful, for the reason that condpnsation and precipitation occur extensively in the long suction line, the precipitates being dropped within, with no practical facilitles for their recovery. Th attempt to remove precipitates so deposited, by sufliciently increased suction for the urpose, involves excessive exhaust of tie furnace hearth, and consequent replacement by cold air whereby the formation of volatile proclucts is interrupted.

The "object of my present invention isto exhaust furnace hcarths or chambers of their volatile, condensable metallic fumes or gases generated therein, by drawing the same out through short free way lines, into connecting condensers, whereby they are incidentally rapidly cooled, precipitated and carried forward to a point or points provided for their easy recovery, without personal contact, thus obviating deleterious effects and loss of values by handling the light dry product. This I accomplish by the application of a regulated cold air blast to the interior of condensing fines (preferably of tubular shape and uniform diameter) in such a manner as to create positive and direct air cur rents through the condensing lines into terminal sections having filtering devices, through which air can pass and whereby precipitates are arrested.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction as well as the function it is in tended to perform, 1 will proceed to de scribe the same in gtail reference being made to the accom anying drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing, Figure l is a top plan view of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same, parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a central vertical section through the terminal )ortion of the apparatus provided with [i tering apparatus above and a receptacle below for receiving the condensed products, the parts being shown on a greatly enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a. fragmentary longitudinal section of the condensing flue showing a device for removing the condensed products from the flue.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate each of two fire bozbs, and 6 revolving furnaces of ordinary consuuction, in which the ores or other material to be treated are subjected to the apt ion of the desired degree of heat which is supplied by the fire boxes. The material to be treated may be fed to these furnaces in any suitable manner. As nothing is claimed in this application on the special construction of furnace, the feed mechanism is not illustrated o ail. The material, however, is del. are to the smaller extremities of the rotary furnaces from hoppers 7 and is Lmused to travel toward the fire boxes 5, thus necessitating that provision be made for discharging the ore or tailings as the case may be at the larger extremity of the furnace. This application, however, relates only to the means for exhausting and condensing the fumes generated in these furnaces. It is Well known that in furnaces of this character, a material proportion of-the values is necessarily volatilized and formed into fumes by the action of the degree of heat necessary to pro erly treat the ores. These fumes when cond hnsed are in the form of metallic chloride or other salts.

The revolving furnaces 6 are journaled at one extremity 1n the walls of the fire boxes 5 and at the other extremity in structures 8 upon which the hoppers 7 are mounted. These structures 8 connect: the revolving furnaces with branch flue-s 9 which form angles of approximately thirty degrees with the condensing flue 10 with which the branch flues communicate. These branch flgnes 9 communicate with the main condensing flue at a point forward of its rear extremity. In the rear of the rear extremity of the condensing flue is located a blower or air forcing apparatus 12 which communicates with the rear extremity of the condensing flue, by a discharge nozzle 13. At a suitable point forward of the branch flues 9, the condensing flue is provided with an open portionl i which as shown in the drawing is provided with elongated slots 3 through which the condensed fumes may pass into a hopper 15 mounted above a water tank 16. The discharge extremity of this hopper is normally closed by a valve 17 carried by an arm 18 pivotally mounted at 19. The extremity of this arm opposite the pivot may be supported in any suitable manner for closing the valve 17. As shown in the drawing a removable device 20 supports the valve arm in the upper position or position correspondi valve. orward of the discharge ortion of thecondensing flue, is located t e terminal structure 21, into which rotrudes the forward extremity of the said flue. The upper part of this structure consists of a ti ter 22 composed of filtering material 23 supported by slats or bars 24 arranged both interiorly and exteriorly. This filter is of such construction that the air and non-condensable gases are allowed topass upwardly therethrough into a surrounding stack 25. The lower part of the terminal structure is provided with a hop er 26'normally closed y a. valve 27 carrie by an arm 28 pivoted at QQLaudsuitably supported at the extremgtg o OSICB the pivot bya"remova?b 1epii1n than a is desired to discharge e contents of the hopper- 2B, the value may be with the closed position of the lowered to the dotted line position in Fig. 4. The terminal structure between the filter and the hopper is provided with a portion 31 forming a sort of grate with elongated openings w iereby the condensable products are allowed to pass into the hopper 26. The forward extremit of the chamber between the hopper and fi ter, is closed by a head 33 norma 1y held in the position shown in Fig. 4- by coil springs 34. This. head may yield in response to lnterior pressure but as soon as this pressure is removed, the head will return to its normal osition, carrying with it any condensed ro note that may be in its path, whereby tl iese products are carried into the hopper.

In order to remove the condensed products from the eondensin flue, I employ a sweepin or cleaning device 35 which ma be rovi ed with mental parts 36 adlipted to enga e the inside of the flue. As shown in the rawing these parts 36 are. staggered both longitudinally and transversely. This arrangement of the segmental parts, ermits the fumes to circulate around the c caning or sweeping device. However, in order to further facilitate the uninterrupted passage of. the air and ases through the flue, the latter is preferably made hollow (see Fig. 5) and provided with openings 37 to permit the passage of gas and air. Hence no matter where this cleaning or sweeping device maybe located in the condensing flue. it will not interfere with the proper performance of the function of the exhausting apparatus.

Connected with the opposite extremities of this sweepin device, are metal cables 38 leading for-war ly and rearwardly to winding drums or windlasses 39, to permit the operation of the sweeping device from the exterior of the fine, and without subjecting the operators to the inconvenience of breatlu ing the fumes or gases generated in the furnace. The condensing flue may be made as tight as desired.

From the fore oing description the use and operation 0. my improved fume-exhausting and condensing apparatus will be readily understood. Assuming-that the furnaces 6 are in use and that the material passing therethrough is subjected to the neces sary degree of heat to volatilize a ortion of the said material, the forcing of air tfrom the atmosphere through the condensing flue 10, will exhaust the furnaces of the said fumes, cause the latter to enter the condensing flue and pass forwardl therein. The regulated cold air from the lower not only serves to exhaust the fumes from the furna'ces, but also cools the latter and eatly facilitates the condensing process wit in the flue.- 1 The force; however ot the air current produced-"by the blower will carry the greater portion of the condensed fumes, into n the terminal structure. However, the residue or remaining portion of the condensed fumes may he rcadil y removed from the condensing flue by the operation of the sweeping or cleanin device which may be moved forward y in the line, whereby the condensed products are discharged into the hoppers 15 and 2G, and finally delivered to the water tanks 16 and it). The tank' lO is located in a chamber 41 of the terminal structure, directly below the mouth of the hopper 26 controlled by the valve :27 as here tofore explained. This chamber 41 is provided with a door 42 which may be opened for the purpose of removing the tank it), when for any reason it may be desirable to remove the condensed products therefrom.

By the use of a straight condensing fine of uniform interior diameter, there is no im-- pediment to the passage of fumes and 7 At the same time it becomes practicable tc employ the sweeping or cleaning apparatus for removing these condensed products from the line to the points or places of discharge.

By the introduction of cold air into thecondensing flue, I obtain rapid cooling and precipitation of the condensable metallic 'fumes or gases. Moreover this cooling or condensation of the fumes is effected within lines of less length, than those required in apparatus heretofore employed.

The grated openings 14 or 31. as the case may he, form supports for the cleaning or sweeping device as the latter is moved back and forth within the condensing flue and the terminal structure. If it were not for these gratings the sweeping device would have a tendency to sag downwardly within the openings which would seriously interfere with the proper performance of its function.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is.

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a furnace, of a condensing fine in communication therewith, said flue consisting of a conduit, means for introduc ing cold air under pressureto the condensing fine in the rear of the point where the latter conmumicates with the furnace, the coml'cnsing tlue terminating in a. filtering device and being provided with a normally closed outlet for the condensed products.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a furnace, of a condensing flue in communication therewith consisting of a single straight conduit, means for introducing cold air under pressure, to the condensing fine in the rear of the point where the latter communicates with the furnace, the condensing flue being provided with a normally closed outlet for the condensed products.

2 The combination with a furnace, of a condensing fine communicating with the furnace intermediate the extrem vies the flue, said condensing flue consistin of a sin gle straight conduit and arrange parallel to the furnace, means for introducing'cold air under pressure to the condensing fine in the rear of the point where the latter communicates with the furnace, and a terminal structure into which the forward extremity of the condensing flue protrudes, the said structure being provided'with a filter interposed between the discharge extremity of the condensing fine and the stack, the lower part of the terminal structure being-provided with a hopper adapted to receive the condensed products, the mouth of thehopper being normally closed for the purpose set forth.

l. The combination with a furnace, of a condensing flue communicating with the furnace, means for introducing air under pressure to the fine in the rear of its communication with the furnace, a sweeping or cleaning device located within the condensing flue, and exterior means connected with the. said device for moving the same back and forth within the flue.

5. The combination with a furnace, of a condensing flue, means for exhausting the fumes from the furnace and causing them to enter the condensing flue, a sweeping or cleaning device located in the flue, and means connected therewith and adapted to be operated from theoutside of the flue for manipulating the said sweeping device, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a furnace, of a condensing flue in communicationwith the furnace, means for exhausting the fumes from the furnace and causing them to enter the condensing flue, the latter being provided with a grated opening in its lower portion adapted to allow thefumes to escape, and a sweeping or cleaning device located within the fine and adapted to be supported by the grated portion of the flue while passing the latter for the purpose set forth.

T. The combination with a furnace. of a condensing flue commuuimiting with the furnace, means for introducing air under pressure to the flue in the rear of its communication with the furnace. a sweeping or cleaning device located within the condcns ing flue. exterior means connected with said device for moving the same back and forth within the flue, and means located in the same line with the flue in the rear of its communication with the furnace for storing the cleaning apparatus when not in use.

8. The combination with a furnace, of a condensing flue, means for exhausting the fumes from the furnace and causing them to enter the condensing flue, a sweeping or cleaning device for the line, means connect.-

ed therewith and adapted to be operated In testimony whereof'I affix my signature from the outside of the fine for manipulab in presence of two witnesses.

ing the said sweeping device, and a conduit V located in the same hne with the flue in the RED KIDNLM 5 rear of its communlcetion wlth the furnace aaiulessesz for storing said cleaning device when not in DENA NELSON,

use. A. J. OBMEN. 

